TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Star Light]

I still haven’t heard about Linklaters Open Day - do I assume the worst?

 

[NJS]

Latham open day PFO, cba wasting my time on the actual VS app

 

[ashwright]

Latham open day PFO, cba wasting my time on the actual VS app

Same dw - good things are definitely coming soon though. Just got to keep our heads up 🍀

 

[Tsitsipas10S]

Latham open day PFO, cba wasting my time on the actual VS app

This app cycle, I applied for an open day at HSF and was rejected. I decided to apply for their WVS anyway and made it to the AC stage.

I wouldn't rule out a VS place just because you were rejected for the open day!

 

[HelpAStudentOut]

Thank you so much for your insight! I really appreciate it - genuinely really motivational & inspirational. 😊

If I may ask three quick follow-ups, I'd really appreciate it.
1.) I'd love to know if the fact that you didn't have experience of a VS came up in interview and, if so, how you responded to any questions about it.
2.) How did you find prepping for ACs and what was the most helpful thing you did?
3.) The fact you had such a succesful cycle is genuinely remarkable, doubly so since it was your first - I'd love to know what you felt your greatest strength was (and even how you developed that strength).

Again, I really appreciate your response - I hope you have a fantastic TC and beyond, you're going to smash it! 👑

Send me a message and we can discuss

 

[Simi.O]

Has anyone take the Hogan Lovells WVS watson glaser, how was it ?

 

[hazanelson]

Latham open day rejection, anyone have any insight if it’s still worth applying for the vacation scheme?

 

[Simi.O]

Hey guys, I had my W&C VI last week, and in between answering a question, I started mumbling a bit and froze. I havent been able to forgive myself since then, because I know how much it took me to get to that point, and I essentially feel like I fumbled the bag. I havent heard back, and every time my mail app sends a notification, my heart skips a beat. How do I forgive myself for this

 

[legallady123]

Has anyone sat the Taylor Wessing online tes? Would appreciate any tips 😊

I also wondered whether they consider the test results in conjunction with your written ap or if it is purely test results after the online application stage?

 

[SoonToBeTrainee]

Been rejected for a Skadden open evening where all you needed to submit was your university and degree dates…

 

[ashwright]

I have been spending some time with the bane of my existence - the W*tson Gl*ser (censored in case anyone else is scared of it as much as i am)
I'd love to hear some thoughts on this assumptions question:

Statement - "[Dessert] restaurant must fill its ten missing staff posts as soon as possible. Otherwise, [Dessert restaurant] will be unable to cope with this summer’s influx of tourist customers."

'Assumption' - "There will be more customers this summer."

Now, apparently, the assumption is made. Maybe I'm overthinking this (is that not a good thing?) but I thought that an increase in 'tourist' customers is not the same as an increase in 'customers'. The restaurant might have an increase in 'tourist customers' but it is still possible that other kinds of customer demographics decrease, meaning that the total customers is the same or even might decrease.

I wish that there was a text box option in the watson glaser just so our reasoning (even if wrong) could be explained...
Please help!

Edit - also quick q for @Andrei Radu - I think you mentioned in a post that you made a Watson Glaser guide for yourself when taking the test. Would you by any chance be able to share that with us? Thank you

 

[3000to1shoteverytime]

Been rejected for a Skadden open evening where all you needed to submit was your university and degree dates…

It will just be down to sheer number of applicants and them not being able to accommodate everyone who applies.

 

[GV]

They are still reviewing applications I got a email today. Said they should be in touch soon

I still haven’t heard about Linklaters Open Day - do I assume the worst?

 

[harris100]

Does anyone know how to answer the "what do you understand about what we do" question at a vac scheme interview (sidley) ? I'm a bit confused on how to address this point and where to get info for it @Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu (if you have any insights too, please do share!)

 

[Optimistic1111]

Has anyone done horribly in the Watson Glasser test for Linklakers? I did loads of practice ones and was scoring 65-75% percentile, but I just asked for my results and I scored in the 11th!!! I am so so confused and embarrassed honestly.

 

[Unknowncabbage]

Hi, does anybody know if Simmons & Simmons’ blended assessment invite is automatic and also if there is a time limit to complete it from when it is sent?

 

[user9809]

I have been spending some time with the bane of my existence - the W*tson Gl*ser (censored in case anyone else is scared of it as much as i am)
I'd love to hear some thoughts on this assumptions question:

Statement - "[Dessert] restaurant must fill its ten missing staff posts as soon as possible. Otherwise, [Dessert restaurant] will be unable to cope with this summer’s influx of tourist customers."

'Assumption' - "There will be more customers this summer."

Now, apparently, the assumption is made. Maybe I'm overthinking this (is that not a good thing?) but I thought that an increase in 'tourist' customers is not the same as an increase in 'customers'. The restaurant might have an increase in 'tourist customers' but it is still possible that other kinds of customer demographics decrease, meaning that the total customers is the same or even might decrease.

I wish that there was a text box option in the watson glaser just so our reasoning (even if wrong) could be explained...
Please help!

Edit - also quick q for @Andrei Radu - I think you mentioned in a post that you made a Watson Glaser guide for yourself when taking the test. Would you by any chance be able to share that with us? Thank you

It’s assumption made. I think you were overthinking it with the tourist part. I would take customers as anyone making a purchase and not separate them out.

 

[ashwright]

It’s assumption made. I think you were overthinking it with the tourist part. I would take customers as anyone making a purchase and not separate them out.

Thank you for clearing that up for me - I really appreciate it. I have a tendancy to overthink the test and it's definitely been my downfall. I guess I need to find a balance.

edit: Same thing happened when I even read an example question for the inferences bit.

The sentence roughly said "Students discussed [topic 1] and [topic 2], because they thought they were important"; the next 'inference' was that 'students discussed [topic 3]'. The correct answer was 'false' but I would've put 'probably false' - i thought false should have been completely impossible. The sentence didn't necessarily exclude the discussion of other topics - it just said that certain topics weren't...
Hopefully, I'll get the hang of this at some point 😂

 

[SamiyaJ]

Has anyone done horribly in the Watson Glasser test for Linklakers? I did loads of practice ones and was scoring 65-75% percentile, but I just asked for my results and I scored in the 11th!!! I am so so confused and embarrassed honestly.

I received mine and I was in the 71% percentile but still got rejected!

 

[AS24]

Hey @AS24 just to jump in before @Ram Sabaratnam and @Amma Usman come back to you, I think since the question does not ask for it explicitly, you do not need to mention how HL could help them. However, if you can, I think it is desirable to do so.

Firstly, the context in which commercial awareness is a useful skill to have in a law firm is exactly that - an ability to connect events impacting clients' businesses with what the firm can do to assist them as a result. This is a direct benefit for the firm, as it is a way to generate more revenues from client mandates and also deepen an existing client relationship. As such, in general I think it makes sense to keep this in mind when interpreting a commercial awareness question. When there is any ambiguity in whether we should add this to the analysis, I have therefore chosen to read this element into the questions.

Secondly, I think the specific request for you to identify one of the firm's clients rather than just any business shows that the firm wants to do more than simply test your general ability to analyze a commercial a story. Simply being able to name one of the firm's clients as part of a category of affected businesses and then going on with a normal general commercial analysis does not add much. As such, I would read into this specific link made with the firm a suggestion that you should add a layer of analysis as to the potential role of the firm in this story.

Finally, I think you should also consider this issue with a view to the downside/upside risk. In the event that the firm did not want you to discuss its potential role in advising a client, it is unlikely this will do much to hurt your progression chances. At most, recruiters would see you as a slightly overeager candidate who wanted to show he can make a connection between the commercial story and the firm's practices. However, in the event that the firm does want you to write about its role and you fail to do so, you will have missed out on scoring well in a key criterion of evaluation.

Thank you @Andrei Radu

You clarified all my doubts and I can keep my answer without changing it!